ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2004 TO 31ST MARCH, 2005 (Paper Cmd. 3 of 2004)

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ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2004 TO 31ST MARCH, 2005:

(Paper Cmd. 3 of 2004): Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1st April, 2004 to 31st March, 2005, contained in Paper Cmd. 3 of 2004.

For convenience, I shall take the totals for each Head of Expenditure in the Main and Development Estimates as they appear in the last columns of the schedules of estimated expenditure under the Main and Development Estimates Outlays for FY 2004 on pages 24 and 25 respectively of the Command Paper.

A total of 769 amendments to the Estimates of Expenditure have been submitted this year. The guillotine times to the discussion of the Heads of Expenditure under Standing Order 89(7)(a) have taken into consideration the extended sitting time of the Committee of Supply for each allotted day and the inclusion of Saturday, 13th March 2004 as an additional sitting day. I would like to remind honourable Members that the times for discussion of the Heads of Expenditure include the replies from the Front bench. I would therefore again urge honourable Members - both from the back and front benches - to be brief, especially given the increased number of cuts this year. I am afraid I will have to be very stringent in my time-keeping.

I shall deal first with the Heads of Expenditure in respect of which

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amendments stand on the Order Paper Supplement.